Truck driving calls for long hours on the road, and most of the time, you are away from family and loved ones. For some, this is perfectly fine, but for others, this is less than ideal. Whether you choose a career in truck driving or not, this type of lifestyle is something you should know about because becoming a truck driver is not easy. You need to go through many steps to start your truck driving career.
Let’s discuss them in more detail.
The Steps to Becoming a Truck Driver
The first step in becoming a truck driver is choosing a truck driving school. Truck driving school is where you will learn all the basics of what is expected from you in your career, take tests, and learn how to drive a truck. This first step is the most important because it is how you obtain your Commercial Drivers License(CDL), which is the ticket to becoming a truck driver.
Truck Driving School
There are two types of truck driving schools: a paid CDL training program and a private truck driving school. It depends on your preference on which school you choose to attend, but the main difference is that a private school will cost you money upfront. Still, you may receive more extensive training, and a trucking company can sponsor a paid CDL training program, so you do not have to pay for tuition. That company can potentially give you a job at the end of the training as well.
Exam and Testing
During your training, the next phase is that you will have to pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exam. You will then go to your nearest Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to take a series of tests for your CDL permit and endorsements. You need the permit and endorsements to get behind the truck’s wheel to practice your driving skills.
Learning to Drive
After receiving your endorsements, permit, and taking your physical exam, you will learn the basics of how to drive your truck, like backing up, taking corners, and the pre-trip inspection you must do before you hit the road. The pre-trip inspection is federally mandated to ensure that your vehicle is safe before you start driving.
Getting Your License
Then, after taking your driving exam and the pre-trip inspection exam, you finally receive your CDL driver’s license. Now, you can legally start your truck driving career because you have gone through the necessary steps.
Another option to become a truck driver is on-the-job training, where a professional CDL driver’s license holder trains you on the job. Although, you still must pass all the necessary tests and get the required endorsements and licenses to drive by yourself legally.
Once you become a truck driver, do your best not to forget your responsibilities and duties like filing for taxes and keeping up with your licensing requirements. Of course, some companies can help you with this, like simplexgroup.net/tax-preparation-filing/.
So as you can see, there are many things you need to do before becoming an official truck driver.